1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus capable of feeding a recording medium in one of a plurality of modes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional printers are classified into line printers developed as output devices of computers, and into serial printers developed from typewriters, as original output devices. A line printer can print a large quantity of numerical data at high speed. Roll paper or cut paper sheets are supplied to a line printer in cassette form.
On the other hand, a serial printer prints only a small quantity of data at a low speed but with high quality. In a serial printer capable of cassette and manual sheet feed, manual insertion sheet feed is given priority over cassette sheet feed. For this reason, when printing is performed in the manual insertion sheet feed mode, if the manual insertion sheet feed is not completed before the transmission of printing data, the cassette sheet feed mode automatically set. In order to prevent this, the printer must be located at the side of the host computer, thus limiting the location of the printer installation. When a single printer is commonly used by a plurality of host computers, correspondence between printing data from each host computer with sheet feeding means is difficult to establish, and interrupt by manual insertion sheet feed cannot be performed.
When an image formation apparatus having both a cassette sheet feed mechanism and a manual insertion sheet feed mechanism is operated in the cassette sheet feed mode, input of printing data results in automatic printing even if an operator is not nearby to check the operating state of the apparatus. Once the manual insertion sheet feed mode is set by a manual insertion sheet feed instruction from a host computer transmitting data or by an auxiliary switch located on an apparatus housing, printing cannot be started if no printing paper sheets are fed through a manual insertion port even after data from the host computer is received. When the auxiliary switch is switched or an instruction is received from the host computer to set the manual insertion sheet feed mode, printing in the cassette sheet feed mode is stopped. When a manual insertion sheet feed mechanism is incorporated, the number of types of printing sheets which can be used for printing is increased as compared to the case wherein only the cassette sheet feed mechanism is incorporated. However, when the manual insertion sheet feed mode is set, printing of the printing data by cassette sheet feed is stopped unless the operator is nearby correct this state.
Various image formation apparatuses are known including one which is connected to a plurality of host computers and sequentially prints data received from the host computers, and one which allows a host computer (spooler) to store printing data and sequentially receives the printing data and prints the received data. In either type of image formation apparatus, when the manual insertion sheet feed mode is set, printing data to be printed by cassette sheet feed is left unprinted and accumulated in large volume.